Freedom of the Seas SJU 8:30P departure

[coconut telegraph]

What is the earliest we can embark the ship? Is it best to stow luggage at the bellhop and return to the hotel before heading to the pier?

[schmeed]

What is the earliest we can embark the ship? Is it best to stow luggage at the bellhop and return to the hotel before heading to the pier?

My cruise eDocs (just got them yesterday for our 10/13 Freedom cruise from SJU) says 12:30pm - 7:00pm.

 

I would imagine even earlier would be available. It usually is.

 

Stowing your luggage with the bell hop is a great idea if you plan to explore San Juan before heading to the pier.

[coconut telegraph]

Would that be a better option than trying to disbark after getting your boarding pass?

[Clarea]

What is the earliest we can embark the ship? Is it best to stow luggage at the bellhop and return to the hotel before heading to the pier?

Usually 11:30am to noon in San Juan. They start taking bags a little before 11am.

[danp]

If you are going to go around Old San Juan and your hotel is close there,do the bellhop,because you will have to take a cab to the ship,then a cab to OSJ and then another cab back to the ship.That will maybe cost you $20 for each cab.Total$60

[schmeed]

Would that be a better option than trying to disbark after getting your boarding pass?

I don't believe you can even do this. Once you are on the ship, you've been through security and the boarding process. I don't believe they let people off in the initial embarkation port with the exception of an emergency.

[Clarea]

I don't believe you can even do this. Once you are on the ship, you've been through security and the boarding process. I don't believe they let people off in the initial embarkation port with the exception of an emergency.

Sure they do, we do it all the time in San Juan.

[schmeed]

Sure they do, we do it all the time in San Juan.

That's great information. I had no idea you could go through the boarding process and then head back out. This is great because we get into SJU early that morning and now we can check-in, drop luggage and go explore. Thanks Bob!

[Clarea]

That's great information. I had no idea you could go through the boarding process and then head back out. This is great because we get into SJU early that morning and now we can check-in, drop luggage and go explore. Thanks Bob!

One negative about the Pan American pier in San Juan is that the porters generally will not take bags until almost 11am.

[puertorican]

One negative about the Pan American pier in San Juan is that the porters generally will not take bags until almost 11am.

 

Actually it is not the porters fault, problem is that disembark sometimes takes almost up to 11:00am, and they work on both areas. But sometimes they start to take bags as early as 10:30am if everything run smoothly.

 

About disembarking and re-embarking, you are free to do it as long you are back in the ship 30 minutes prior to leave. But my recommendation be at least an hour prior.

[138east]

In OSJ you can store your luggage for free (9am to 5 pm) at Barrachina - http://www.barrachina.com/ This is used a lot by folks disembarking.

 

DH and I flew to SJU same day 2 years ago (I know - a big no no, but ...this was DH's preference for his first cruise in 15 years). We got to the cruise terminal around 3 pm and it was dead dead dead. No chaos of folks still disembarking, no lines at security or checkin. We were on board in minutes with our luggage in hand and went straight to our cabin. It was a total win win win!

 

So my advice is to consider storing your bags in OSJ, exploring the city in the cooler morning hours, and heading to the ship in the afternoon. This would also save you a cab fare.

[Denise5374]

On August 17, we arrived at the pier about 11:30am, dropped our bags with a porter and were on the ship about 15 minutes later.

 

Much nicer than my last embarkation in Bayonne NJ.

[mixplix]

not to stir up some stuff (well, actually, that's exactly what I am trying to do) - could you board with your carry on, carrying two bottles of wine (and now your twelve pack of soda), and then disembark, and reenter, carrying more wine, and more soda? They dont make a note of who has what when entering....

[coconut telegraph]

not to stir up some stuff (well, actually, that's exactly what I am trying to do) - could you board with your carry on, carrying two bottles of wine (and now your twelve pack of soda), and then disembark, and reenter, carrying more wine, and more soda? They dont make a note of who has what when entering....

 

Probably not, but might not be worth pushing the issue. It is nice that they do allow these on board when they don't have to. We took a Med cruise and they didn't check any liquor or wine purchases made in port and we didn't partake in any of them until we got back home.

[coconut telegraph]

So cruise and airfare have been booked and I am now scouring an option for hotels. We will get in mid morning the day before departure and the cruise doesn't leave until the next day after dinner. What would you recommend for a central location since there are so many moving parts in where the hotel is located? We would love to check in and then either walk to OSJ on Saturday after arrival and then check into the ship early on Sunday and take advantage of the ship. The prices are much more expensive to be in OSJ, but is it really a large issue to take cabs from hotel to OSJ and back? We have been to SJU several times and left from there on a cruise, but flew in the day of so this is a little out of our norm.

[ahill13]

My cruise eDocs (just got them yesterday for our 10/13 Freedom cruise from SJU) says 12:30pm - 7:00pm.

 

I would imagine even earlier would be available. It usually is.

 

Stowing your luggage with the bell hop is a great idea if you plan to explore San Juan before heading to the pier.

 

We are on the same cruise! I cannot wait!

[coconut telegraph]

We are on the same cruise! I cannot wait!

 

That's awesome! I feel a little "fish out of water" since I haven't been 100% hands on with every detail on booking this cruise for three families like I normally do. The excitement of planning is still there though, but only once I have three rooms booked that match what the consensus wants. The rooms in OSJ come at a pretty premium and are sparse compared to the other offerings, so maybe a best bet is to take a taxi in on Sat after check in. We've been to every stop on this cruise so feel free to send me any questions you may have.